1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a method and an assembly for vehicle thermal management and to a vehicle which incorporates the method and assembly and more particularly, to a method and an assembly which measures the temperature of a vehicular component or assembly in order to create or select a thermal change function or thermal gradient, which uses the thermal change function or thermal gradient to create a time to temperature value which is approximately equal to the time in which a predetermined maximum operating temperature will be reached by the vehicular component or assembly, and which performs a certain action in response to the approximated time to temperature value.
2. Background Art
A motor vehicle includes many selectively movable and interconnected components and assemblies which are adapted to operate within a certain respective temperature range and which are respectively associated with a maximum operating temperature that should not be exceeded.
Current thermal management strategies utilize temperature sensors for providing positive indications only when the respective temperature of the various monitored assemblies and components actually exceeds a certain respective threshold value.
While the foregoing information is somewhat useful to the operator of the vehicle, preemptive action is often not possible in advance of the actual occurrence of this undesirable situation. Accordingly, once the positive indication is provided, the operator is required to stop or immediately disable the vehicle even if it is not very desirable to do so (e.g., such as when a hybrid-electric vehicle is positioned upon the side of a hill or mountain), in order to cool the components.
Further, conventional strategies require an operator of the vehicle to perform some action and do not automatically or dynamically (e.g., without operator intervention) modify the operation of the vehicle in order to preemptively regulate the temperature of the monitored items in order to correct or compensate for such an undesired operation, while concomitantly reducing the likelihood that an item will meet/exceed its maximum operating temperature.
The present invention overcomes these drawbacks in a new and novel fashion and controls the operation of certain vehicular items, such as and without limitation a drivetrain or transmission assembly, by the use of active or dynamic preemptive regulation.